Flexible needle biopsy forceps are used in conjunction with a fiber optic endoscope as follows: the endoscope is inserted into the stomach, colon or other hollow organ of the patient's body, an abnormality is visualized, and the flexible biopsy forceps is introduced through the biopsy channel of the endoscope. The distal end of the biopsy forceps is comprised of two opposed sharp-edged cups that are operably attached by means of pivot arms to a wire passing on the interior of a flexible cable. A fixed spike or needle is positioned within the closed cups. As used hereinafter, the term “needle” will be understood to include both a needle and a spike, or other similar member that passes through and retains the severed tissue sample until the forceps are removed from the patient's body. Actuation means, such as thumb and/or finger grips or a spool, are operably connected to the proximal ends of the flexible cable and the one or more wires are used to move the cups between an open and closed position.
When the forceps' distal end is properly positioned at the sampling site, the cups are moved to the open position, the needle makes contact with and penetrates the tissue to be sampled and the cups are then closed on the tissue, grasping and severing a sample of tissue that is held on the needle within the closed cups while the forceps is withdrawn from the patient.
The rigid forceps are employed in conjunction with the laparoscopic procedure in a similar manner. With both types of the device, after the forceps has been removed from the endoscope, the tissue sample or samples must then be removed from the needle and placed into an appropriate receptacle that contains a preservative (e.g., formalin). In many instances, it is difficult to safely remove the sample from the forceps needle. The physician or assisting personnel will typically use another needle or small implement to slide the tissue down and off the end of the needle.
This task is difficult and cumbersome in itself, and dangerous since there are occasions in which medical personnel have been stuck by the needle. If the patient is infected with the HIV virus, or hepatitis, or another contagious disease, the physician or assistant can be infected as well. An additional risk to the medical personnel from an infectious sample is posed by the sharp cutting edges of the cups themselves, which must be maintained in the open position while the tissue sample(s) are removed from the forceps needle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved needle biopsy forceps that will eject the biopsy sample from the needle or spike into a convenient receptacle by manipulation of interconnected control means at the proximal end of the forceps.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved needle biopsy forceps having means for removing the tissue sample that can be incorporated into forceps of current construction and whose method of operation will be safe and easy to learn.
Another object of the invention is to provide tissue sample ejecting needle biopsy forceps that are easy to use and that operate in the same manner to collect and sever tissue samples as the prior art forceps.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved needle biopsy forceps from which the tissue sample can be safely ejected without having the medical personnel directly contact or manipulate the distal end of the forceps and which will eliminate the need for such personnel to use needles or other “sharps” to collect the sample.
These and other objects are met by the improved needle biopsy forceps that are described below.